NHS
CCG chair says Seaton and Honiton hospitals ‘at risk’ of closure in Local Estates Strategy
It has been revealed that Dr Simon Kerr, Chair of NEW Devon CCG’s Eastern Locality, told a meeting with representatives of 38 Degrees on 5th April that Seaton and Honiton hospitals were ‘at risk’ in the CCG’s Local Estates Strategy due in July. His remarks were taken down by the 38 Degrees member who produced draft notes of the meeting, and have been confirmed by other participants, but have not yet been confirmed by the CCG.
Although the hospitals both lost their inpatient beds last summer, Seaton Hospital currently hosts over 50 outpatient services (and there are probably at least as many in Honiton). Both are vital community health resources, created with decades of financial and practical support from people all around the Seaton and Honiton areas.
As part of a move to promote ‘place-based care’, the CCG and RD&E are currently taking part in two ‘community health conversations’, Honiton’s Health Matters and Seaton and Area’s Health Matters, which local voluntary groups, town and parish councils etc. are involved in. However if place-based care means anything, it should mean that communities should keep their local hospitals as health hubs, with more rather than fewer services.
Together with Cllr Jack Rowland, who stood down as mayor of Seaton last week but remains the town council’s representative on the Health Matters organising group, have written to Dr Tim Burke, Chair of the CCG, to ask for an unequivocal assurance that the hospitals will remain open.
I am hoping to shortly announce a meeting of the hospital campaign group.
I have written to @CllrIanThomas, incoming EDDC leader, for assurances on health services and hospitals, after Conservative amendment leaves East Devon community hospitals vulnerable to closure
I was disappointed to hear that this motion was completely replaced by an ‘amendment’ (left) proposed by Conservative Councillor Mike Allen, which was then carried.My message of support to the legal team who are fighting the dismantling of the NHS in a crucial case in Leeds Crown Court tomorrow #Justice4NHS
Hospital transport key issue in rural areas, says BBC – not uncommon for people to travel hours each way for 10-minute appointment
The report on the Radio 4 Farming Today programme is described here
Seaton and Area Health Matters process gets off to a successful start
Over 60 people from community groups in the Seaton area spent yesterday morning in The Gateway (Seaton Town Hall) discussing the challenges to health in the town and surrounding villages. The meeting, chaired by Cllr Jack Rowland and addressed by (among others) Em Wilkinson-Bryce of the RD&E and Dr Simon Kerr of NEW Devon CCG, had wide-ranging discussions which launch a process to try to define the health services the area needs and the challenges we face. A full report will be drafted based on the eight sets of working group discussions and I will report further when this is available. A follow-up event to lead to more concrete conclusions is envisaged, probably in May.
‘Defer the Integrated Care System’ says Health Scrutiny Committee, after campaigners and councillors challenge CCGs’ failure to provide proper information on controversial scheme
Following my request for Health Scrutiny to consider the CCGs’ plans (at the last meeting in January), and challenges to the Conservatives’ attempts to push them through at DCC’s Cabinet 10 days ago, this Thursday’s Health Scrutiny called for a slow-down in the rush to implement a major reorganisation of the NHS which the public hasn’t been informed about – let alone consulted on.
County Councillor Claire Wright (Independent, Otter Valley) writes: The brake on the process was applied at yesterday’s (Thursday 22 March) Devon County Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee, which also recorded its concerns at the plans, set to be put in place next month.
The new system, which is coming into force in health areas across the country, will mean a merger of the two clinical commissioning groups in Devon, at least at board level to start with, and is widely being seen by campaigners across the country, as the beginning of a break-up of the NHS – and a clear route through to more privatisation and less public accountability.
Nationally, there are legal challenges by senior medics who are convinced that the move to ‘accountable care’ as it was originally called, will be disastrous for patient care and the public functioning of the NHS.
We are repeatedly told by local NHS and social care managers that it is just about integration of health and social care and is another step on a long journey. But that is disingenuous.
This is the start of a very new style of working and no one is very clear where it will end up. What is certain though, is that it is being driven by Conservative Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Hunt and if he tells the NHS to move in a certain direction, they must do as he says.
So although this new system debated at Devon County Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee yesterday is at an early stage, its direction of travel is clear. We are heading for a more formal set up of groups of organisations and no one can reassure members of the public how the governance or funding will operate.
For example, the NHS is free at the point of use and social care is means tested. So if budgets are merged, will social care become free at the point of use? Highly unlikely. So what does this mean for NHS care?
At yesterday’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee meeting, very well informed and articulate members of the public from the Devon Save Our Hospital campaign group addressed councillors, as well as Cllr Martin Shaw. Also, Cllr Julian Brazil (speaking on behalf of the LibDem group) who are very concerned about the plans.
Cllr Martin Shaw (Seaton Independent) was successful in getting the health scrutiny committee to take on this issue earlier this year and is incredibly well researched and informed on the issue.
Feelings and anxieties were running high during the meeting. Some speakers were heckled by members of the public, which prompted chair, Sara Randall Johnson threaten several times to throw them out.
Committee members had received dozens of emails from members of the public who wanted councillors to object to the plans.
Most of the committee fortunately, seemed concerned. I made the following proposal, which was agreed unanimously.
The section in brackets was very disappointingly, deleted by the Conservatives on the committee, despite the NHS representatives agreeing to a period of public engagement . This is a great shame, but I remain pleased that the rest of my recommendations were supported.
(a) record the Committee’s concerns over the emerging Devon Integrated Care System being a single Integrated Strategic Commissioner, a number of Local Care Partnerships, Mental Health Care Partnership and shared NHS corporate services;
(b) defer the Integrated Care System process until assurances are provided on governance, funding, the future of social care from a democratic perspective (and when a full engagement process has taken place – the part on public engagement was deleted by the Conservatives unfortunately);
(c) recommend Councillor Ackland’s paper and proposals on the reformation of the Health and Wellbeing Board as a sound democratic way forward to provide the necessary governance on a new integrated system;
(d) give assurance that the proposals will not lead to deeper cuts in any part of Devon as a result of the ‘equalisation of funding’;
(e) provide a copy of the business plan being developed and a summary of views from staff consultations.
Cabinet will now need to consider these recommendations.
If you wish to watch the debate, here’s a link to the itemised webcast – https://devoncc.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/318671
Pic: Standing room only. Yesterday’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee meeting.
Off to Exeter – no Dermatology appointments in either Seaton or Axminster now
Following news a couple of weeks ago that the Dermatology clinic in Seaton Hospital had been closed, whether permanently or not is not clear (it was GP-led and the GP stopped doing it, I am told), comes the information that Dermatology appointments are not currently available in Axminster, either. You have to go to Exeter, where they’re booking for June.
This is one of the most highly used specialities in both hospitals and it is a serious setback that it is not available locally!
Save Our Hospital Services demonstrating outside CCG and Health Scrutiny at County Hall on Thursday 22nd
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